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A teacher at Garland's Kimberlin Academy for Excellence who is running the New York City Marathon is dedicating each mile to a different charity. (Published Thursday, Nov 1, 2012)

Updated at 11:59 PM CST on Thursday, Nov 1, 2012

A Garland elementary school teacher is heading to New York to run in Sunday’s marathon and help raise money for charities.

"I want to really support New York,” said Marcie Adame, a long-distance runner and physical education teacher at Garland’s Kimberlin Academy for Excellence.

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Adame has never been to New York but planned to go this year -- even before the disaster from Hurricane Sandy.

"I thought, 'I don't want to just run for myself,'” she said. “That would be selfish. And so I decided I am going to dedicate each mile to a different charity."

She said she has heard criticism that the race will sap emergency resources at a time when they are needed with relief efforts, but she said she believes holding the marathon sends an important message.

"I am glad the race is going on because it brings together people from all over the world,” she said. “The true positive is that New York is showing that they can weather anything."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said manpower won’t be an issue.

"The marathon is not going to redirect any focus," he said. "By Sunday, we will have electricity back downtown. That will free up an enormous number of police. Also, a lot of the transportation needs that we have during the week aren't there on the weekends."

Adame, whose birthday is on Sept. 11, said she has an emotional connection to New York.

"This is a city that has true grit,” she said. “And I think in Texas we have a lot in common with them."